Trip Summary

A summary of our trip/adventure

0 tv in the camper

1 travel trailer pulled by a Ford F-150

2 winter weather events/hail and snow

2 adventurous adults

3 campfires

3 tolls

4 times zones 

7 waterfalls

8 meals eaten "out"

8 days spent with grandkids

10 hikes

11 rainy/drizzly days

11 campgrounds

12 different states

14 different species of "wild" animals

33 days of the "camping" lifestyle

137 hours of driving for Keith

565 gallons of gasoline

620+ pictures taken

6348.7 miles traveled

immeasurable memories to last a lifetime!!

                                      

Signs along the way

As we traveled along the byways of this beautiful country we saw some interesting (or different) signs along the highway.  This is a sampling of what we saw

Caution signs that said

         Stock
         Rocks
         Trucks
          Game
          Wildlife
          Moose Crossing
          Range cattle

Then there were these signs:
       Please don't feed the sheep
       Do not feed prairie dogs
       No animal remains to be left at campsite
       Beware of poisonous snakes
       Be polite don't tailgate  (never work in MI)
       Lochsa River  Wild and scenic
       NW Scenic By-Way
       North by Northwest filmed in this area

HOME!!

Sunday, June 29   Day 33

It's a bittersweet moment as we head for Clarkston, MI. It has been such a superb adventure that we hate to see it end. But it will be good to be home in our real beds and with our dogs!

Before we left we stopped for breakfast at the Sunfield Family Restaurant in the next town. (recommended by women in the campground office). It was such a delicious breakfast--omletts, homefries, pancakes and coffee!  (we didn't even stop for lunch).

Today's drive is our shortest and the wind is not as strong. Before we knew it we saw this

It's good to be home.

Through Wisconsin and in to Illinois

Sat., June 28  Day 32

Spent last night in Welcome, Minnesota. Traveling through Wisconsin today. It is very windy and hard for Keith to drive. The wind is hitting us sideways, so Keith has had to slow down just to maintain control.

Crossed into Illinois and immediately had to pay a toll. Our only tolls have been in Illinois!

Hickory Hollow Campground, in Utica, IL, is very nice. Our site was a pull-through with a concrete pad. We didn't even unhook the trailer since we are leaving in the morning!

On the road again

Friday, June 27   Day 31

Today will be our longest driving day as we head home. We left our campground around 8:30 and headed east across South Dakota. We drover over rolling hills past many ranches with lots of cattle. Even though we were close, we skipped going to Wall Drug Store. The billboards were very tempting, especially the ones that said coffee 5 cents and homemade donuts!!

We did stop for lunch at a rest area overlooking the Missouri River.They had exhibits about Lewis and Clark (there was just a bicentennial there) with a replica of their keel boat they use to travel the Missouri River. This was the nicest rest stop we encountered. EXCEPT for this sign along the walkway that led to the river.

If told to beware, I don't go there!!  I did take some pictures from the safety of the patio.being closer to the building...

Custer State Park, South Dakota

Thursday, June 26  Day 30

This was our last day in South Dakota and we weren't sure what to do. We didn't want to do excessive driving since we will do that tomorrow, so we went to Custer State Park (no, the battle wasn't here. That was in Montana at Little Big Horn.)  What a gem of a state park! Just driving there was so beautiful--trees, black hills, rocks, tunnels, lakes and animals!

 There are 6 tunnels through the rocks--one way and very narrow. We went through 3 of them.

This tunnel  is called eye of the needle.





Driving through the park we came across this buffalo (bison in N. Dakota and buffalo in S. Dakota)

                                                     

One final gem before we left the park--Sylvan Lake. 

Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monuments

June 25, Wednesday Day 29

We weren't sure what to expect at Mt. Rushmore. Near-by areas are very commercial, so we were very  happy to see that the drive was very beautiful and the trees, rocks and lakes are unspoiled. There is no fee to get in to the Park, but you pay a hefty fee to park ($11.00). Once in, it is just a short walk to view the mounument. We spent lots of time there, talking a walk on the Presidential Trail for closer views.

 We visited the sculptor's studio. It was fascinating. Not one single person died while working on these faces. Originally they were to be larger--head to waist, but they ran into difficulties so stopped with just the heads. George Washington has a bit of his lapels done, but not the others. On the walkway in and out are columns with each state's name and date of entering the union. Keith, with a great smile, is standing next to the Connecticut one.

It was just a short drive to the Crazy Horse Monument. It is still a work in progress, but it is so massive (all of the faces on Mt. Rushmore would fit into Crazy Horse's head!). All of the viewing was from a distance.

We spent hours in the buildings with museum type displays, book signing, craft show (yeah!--I bought a necklace) artifacts and modern stuff. We had a great lunch there also.

Leaving North Dakota

June 24  day 28

We are going to miss this sight from our window!

In a crazy way, we will also miss seeing all of the VERY long trains so common in the west and midwest.








It was cloudy when we left Medora (nothing new weatherwise) and headed south to South Dakota.
Rolling hills, farms and no mountains. South Dakota does have excellent rest stop area. They are often more than a rest stop. The picnic areas are covered to offer sun protection (or rain).

The campground is near Mt. Rushmore.. It is the last place where we will stay for multiple nights.

Petrified Forest in Roosevelt Wilderness area

June 23, 2014  Day 27

This morning we headed for the Petrified Forest. It is not in the Park, but in the Roosevelt Wilderness Area. We drove on a long unpaved (and dusty) road, parked the truck and walked 3 miles to the area. There were many ups and downs on the path, but it was so worth the hike.

Teddy Roosevelt came to this area to find peace and purpose after his wife died in childbirth and his mother lost her life to typhoid fever ON THE SAME DAY! (can't even imagine how awful that would be). Here he found the peace and tranquility he was seeking. This untouched landscape and the abundance of animals filled him with purpose and strength that he used when he became president. He was able to get through tough times and hostile opposition because of what he experienced here in North Dakota.

After lunch we went back into the Park to the highest point in the Park (short climb from the parking lot). It was so peaceful there as we gazed out over the panoramic views around us. On the way back we saw some wild horses. We had seen them before. They are so beautiful!!

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

Sun. June 22   Day 26

It's hard to believe that we are beginning our last week of this grand adventure!

We started off by riding all the way around the park loop road to get our bearings. As we were pulling out of the Visitor Center parking lot a motorcycle went by with a bride and groom on it. She was wearing a wedding dress! When we got to the first overlook, they were there and had a photographer video tapping them. We never saw them after that. We were too busy taking in all the gorgeous sights!

         

                                                           

We stopped to visit with some prairie dogs. You have to look carefully to see their heads popping up!

In the afternoon we drove to another part of the Park via I-94. We walked 1 mile down into Painted Canyon (and a mile back up--it was easier going down!!)  These were narrow dirt trails with overgrown weeds brushing against you (no ticks fortunately).

  Keith at a flat part of the canyon bottom

After dinner we went to see the sunset at Wind Canyon Trail (1/2 mile walk). The lookout was high up over the Little Missouri River. When we got there we saw 6 bison crossing the river. The, to the right was a larger herd of about 150 bison in the meadow. Just before the sun set they were on the move right in front of us. There were many calves in the herd.

And the sunset! God is the perfect artist every night!

North Dakota bound

Saturday, June 21  Day 25

On the road again. Headed for North Dakota and Theodore Roosevelt National Park NP in Medora, Passed a pasture full of sheep.  The terrain had changed dramatically. Instead of rolling hills there are steep hills full of rocks. The town of Medora is on the Little Missouri River. I never knew such a river existed!!

Keith liked this campground because the owner helped guide us into our site!

Walking around the campground, we saw a flock of eagles (15) flying in wide circles just north of the campground. They were beautiful. Tomorrow we explore!

Traveling through Montana

Day 24  June 20

Our plans were to go back to Avalanche for pictures since it rained and was cloudy on our first trip there. However, clouds were still around so we packed up and left Glacier heading for White Sulphur Springs, MT. We arrived at Conestoga Campground late in the afternoon. Google Maps sent us to the wrong place first, but we finally found it. Weather was showers off and on all day. This was just a short overnight. The woman who worked in the office was from Michigan (Birmingham!!).

Just an extra here

We have had very limited wifi service and iffy phone coverage. I am not going to publish anymore about our trip until we get home. Plus, blogger is driving me crazy when I try to type information. I hate it.
More to come.....

Last full day in Glacier

Thursday, June 19 Day 23

Despite the clouds and drizzly weather, we headed around to the other side of the park (75 mile trip one way). Our first stop was Two Medicine, near the East entrance. We had a picnic lunch along the river.This is the view from our picnic table








 Then we took a short drive to this beautiful falls!

  

Continuing our drive we made a stop at a deli to buy a whole huckleberry pie (it was delicious!!) We drove through the town of Babb (Keith wanted me to include that tidbit in the blog...) We went to the Many Glaciers entrance where we climbed up to the Apakuni Falls. (and I do mean UP). It was a 1 mile hike with a climb of  700 ft. It was hard, but so worth it for this view of the falls.Plus there were such pretty wildflowers on the path!

 

We went to a ranger program at the campground. It was about the early years of Glacier NP. Great Northern Railroad promoted the Park as an alternative to a European cruise for wealthy people on the East coast. Many lodges were built in the Park and "dudes" arrived to experience thrilling trail rides. So, in the early years Glacier was a dude ranch for the wealthy!